Display counter



y 31, 1932- R. M. HENDERSON 1.861,392

Filgad Dec. 18. 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet; 1

May 31, 1932. M. HENDERSON 1,851,392

DISPLAY COUNTER Filed Dec. 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2- w ul Illllll 1 1 l.ll\ll||l l|| ,lnIL llll'lllllll llVENTOR.

, ATTORNEYS.

May 31, 1932.

FIG. 4.

Filed Dec. 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M 0 Q LL 5 a W W-E VQQR. 1 I W \D M Z ATTORN EY S.

Patented May 31, 1932 PATENT OFFICE RAY M. HENDERSON, OF GIDDINGS, TEXAS DISPIiAY coun'rnn Application filed December 18, 1929. Serial No. 415,036.

The present invention relates to a display counter or rack adapted to be used in grocery and other stores where the customers are adapted to personally select and collect together the. various items of merchandise which they seek and desire to purchase.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display device of this character which embodies a simple and economical construction, easily installed and adjusted to the desired position in a storeroom; which may be constructed in one or more sections or units and built up to accommodate a large storeroom or a relatively small space; to

'15 which access may be very easily had for the removal of the various articles; which is so constructed as to support various articles in relatively large quantities in such a peculiar manner that all of the articles may be within the line of vision of a customer whether close to the display or at some distance from the same, and wherein when a number of the articles from the front of the display device are removed the remaining ar- 1 25 ticles will be clearly visible and accessible without requiring the work of an attendant to readjust or reposition the articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide the display device with a bottom storage compartment of novel constructionand with a novel construction of door, so that quantities of articles may be stored therein and, if desired, the doors may be opened out of the way to afford additional display space for articles, and wherein the doors when fer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a store display fixture constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, partly in section and showing in dotted lines a number of articles in position for display.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the display fixture.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the display fixture, partly in section and showing the panel door in open position.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the same substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal horizontal section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 4 and showing the panel door of an adjacent compartment in closed position.

Figure 7 is a detail inner side perspective 0 view of one of the panel doors used, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a slight modification in the structure of the upper part of the display fixture for displaying goods at opposite sides of the fixture.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates vertically disposed posts or standards which are of any desired number and are spaced apart and connected together by a plurality of horizontal longitudinally extending cross pieces 11 to provide with the standards 10 a vertical. frame portion. The vertical frame portion may be further re-inforced by the provision of sills or supporting strips 12 which are secured across the outer edges of the standards 10 and serve as supports for the rear ends of shelves which will hereinafter be described. 7

The standards 10 are also provided across their upper ends with a top rail 13 which provides a relatively narrow shelf upon which may be supported advertising matter, ornaments or the like to impart a finish to the display fixture.

The lower sill 12 is mounted upon the vertical frame portion intermediate'the ends thereof but slightly toward the lower end and is adapted to support the rear end of inclined strips 14 which extend forwardly and upwardly, preferably from each standard 10. The rear ends of the strips 14 are cut at a suitable angle so as to seat flat against the forward edge of the adjacent standard 10. The lower portion of the fixture is substantially in the form of an enclosed cabinet and is provided with a front wall which serves as a support for the outer end of the inclined strips 14.

The front Wall comprises a base board 15 which extends lengthwise of the rack or fixture and is of suitable width to rise several inches above the floor upon which the fixture is placed. The base board 15 supports the lower end of vertical supporting strips 16 and the latter support upon their upper ends a lengthwise extending top strip 17 The top strip 17 has a beveled upper edge, as shown in Figure 2, and across which engage the outer end portions of the inclined strips 14. It will be noted that the upper edge of the top strip 17 lies in a horizontal plane above the upper edge of the ledge or strip 12 so that the strips 14 are inclined forwardly and upwardly from the standards 10. A suitable bracing strip 18 may be secured across the under sides of the inclined strips 14 and against the rear side of the top strip 17 to hold the latter rigidly in position.

. Each inclined strip 14 is provided with a relatively short upright 19 which is disposed substantially at right angles to the strips 14 and therefore lies at an upward and backward inclination with respect to the fixture.

The uprights 19 engage beneath outstand ing short strips 20 which are secured at their rear ends upon an adjacent longitudinal strip 12, the strip 12 and the uprights 19 being arranged to support the short strips 20 in substantially horizontal position. The short strips 20 support a substantially horizontal shelf 21, while the inclined strips 14 support at their outer end portions an inclined shelf 22.

The shelf 22 is located not only below the shelf 21 but is inclined with respect thereto and lies in a plane which intersects the horizontal plane of the shelf 21 at a point in rear of an observer standing before the rack. The shelf 21 is so located that the plane of the shelf is located slightly below the line of vision of an observer while the lower shelf 22 is not only positioned beneath the plane of the shelf 21 but is so inclined that the view of the shelf 22 corresponds to the view of the shelf 21. In other words, the shelves 21 and 22 are located substantially in radial planes from the point of vision or the eye of the observer so that the articles or objects which are placed upon the shelves 21 and 22 are viewed at substantially the same angle with respect to the eye. 7 The upright portion of the frame may be closed in at the rear of the shelf 21 by a panel 23 extending between the uprights 10 while the shelf 22 may be provided at its rear end with a panel 24 which extends between the uprights 19. Articles placed upon the shelves 21 and 22 are therefore supported at the rear ends of the shelves and held at the desired angle and in stack form, such as shown in Figure 2 in dotted lines, so that the articles as they are successively removed expose the rearmost articles until the shelves are entirely empty.

The lower cabinet portion of the rack is provided at suitable intervals, preferably behind the vertical upright portion 16 with cross. strips 25 vertically spaced apart between the standards 10 and the front wall of the cabinet structure, and which may be reinforced at their rear ends by vertical strips 26 which are secured to the forward edges or faces of the standards 10. Diagonal braces 27 are also provided which extend from the lower end of the front wall of the cabinet structure upwardly and rearwardly adjacent the rear end portions of the inclined strips 14. The intermediate cross strip 25 is utilized to support the adjacent end or intermediate portion of a shelf 28 which may be made up of a plurality of boards or strips as shown and which is located intermediately in the cabinet portion of the rack. The shelf 28 extends horizontally from front to rear of the rack and divides the cabinet portion into upper and lower compartments.

The front wall of the rack provides a number of openings which extend between the base strips 15 and the top strips 17 and between adjacent uprights 16. I These openings are closed by panel doors 29, the base strip 15 is rabbeted at its upper rear edge to provide a seat for the lower end of the door 29, and a retaining strip 30 is secured along the rear side of the base strip 15 and projects upwardly therefrom to provide a back stop for the lower end of the door 29.

The top strip 17 is provided with a recess or groove 31 in its lower rear edge adapted to receive the upper end of the panel door 29 and is of sufficient depth to admit of the upward sliding movement of the door 29 sufliciently to free the lower edge of the door from the base strip 15. 29 is provided across its inner side and adjacent to its lower end witha brace strip 32 adapted to seat upon the upper edge of the strip 80 when the door 29 is closed and which is adapted to engage against the forward edges of adjacent cross pieces 25 at the upper end of the cabinet when the door 29 is swung outwardly and slid back into open position. The door 29 may be provided near its lower end with a handle or knob 33 which projects outwardly from the door and is so located as to engage the outer side of the top strip 17 when the door is slid into open position, as shown in Figure 4. The door 29 is provided across its rear side and at its upper The panel or door end witha second brace strip 34 which extends en ely acr ss the doo n is adap -e to slidably'engage the upper edges of the frame strip to support the door in its sliding movement, The cross strip 34 is cut away at opposite ends to provide an intermediate tongue 35 adapted to engage between adjacent frame strips 25 for holding the door 29 in alignment with the opening through the front wall of the cabinet and to guide the door in its sliding movement.

The strip 34 serves as a hinge or support for the upper end of the door 29 when the latter is swung outwardly and upwardly into line with the space beneath the shelf 22.

As shown particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the display rack or fixture may be manufactured in sections and the sections placed in endwise relation against one another so as to build up a display rack or counter of the desired length. Disposed between adjacent sections is preferably placed a partition panel 36 which may follow the general configuration of the cabinetstructure at the lower end ofthe fixture and the shelves 21 and 22 at theupper part, the panel preferably reaching to the top rail 13 as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3. The sections of the fixture are rigidly connected together by the provision of endwise extending bolts 37 which project from one end of each of the fixture sections and are adapted to engage in corresponding openings formed in the other end of each of the sections. It will be noted from Figure 1 that these bolts 37 project outwardlv to a considerable extent and are threaded on their outer ends for receiving nuts or the like used in coupling together the adjacent sections. A relatively long display rack may thus be built up and the sections thereof are interconnected rigidly so as to provide practically a continuous and rigid structure.

Figure 8 shows a slight modification in the J construction of the fixture and wherein the same may be constructed double, or so as to face in opposite directions to be placed in a store with an aisle or space at each side of the fixture so that goods may be displayed on the opposite sides of the fixture. As shown in Figure 8, the upright frame or standard member 38 terminates below the upper shelf 39 and is provided with a cross piece 40 mounted on the upper end of the upright 38 and engaging beneath the shelf 39 to support the same. The cross piece 40 and the shelf 39 are of double width so as to extend oppositely from V the standard 38 for supporting goods or commodities at opposite sides of the fixture. The outer ends of the cross piece 40 are supported upon the downwardly diverging legs or standards 41 which at their lower ends are similarly connected to corresponding inclined strips 14 located at opposite sides of the con 1' tral standard 38. It is of course understood that the opposite end of the rack structure is constructed similar to the showing in Figure 8,'and that any desired number of intermediate standards 38 and downwardly diverging uprights 41 may be employed to support the upper double shelf 39 and otherwise provide fora rigid structure.

The double rack or fixture shown in F igure 8 is provided with an upper frame structure which comprises a vertical leg 42 provided with a reduced downwardly extending shank or portion 43 adapted to fit in a socket or opening 44 which is formed in the central portion of the double shelf 39.

The upper end of the leg 42 is secured beneath a top rail 45, and a longitudinal brace 46 may be secured beneath the rail and provided with a leg 42 for supporting the other end of the rail 45, and this top rail structure may be detached if desired.

In use, the fixtures are set up in the storeroom with spaces or aisles on opposite sides where the double fixture is used, or where the single fixture is used, such as shown in Figure 1, the fixture may be placed along the wall with the space for the customers along the front of the fixture. In any event, the upper and lower shelves 21 and 22 are arranged at such angles with respect to each other and to the general height of the observer that the shelf 21 is substantially on a straight line, horizontally. with the eye of the customer so that the entire contents of the shelf may be readily observed, the customer seeing the front row of commodities or goods on the shelf and as the same are removed from time to time, the second row, the third row, and so forth throughout the entire depth of the shelf may be readily observed.

In a like manner. without the necessity of the observer changing the position, stooping or the like, may observe the articles on the lower shelf because the latter is so inclined that the goods or commodities which are stacked on the shelf, as shown in Figure 2, assume the same relativepositions with respect to the observer or customer as is had on the horizontal shelf 21.

It will also be noted that the lower shelf 22 is ofiset forwardly from the upper shelf 21 so as to bring the articles or commodities on the shelf 22 into position to be more read ily seen as light from lamps or the like in the storeroom will thus clearly illuminate all of the articles upon both shelves.

The cabinet portion of the fixture may be employed merely for the purpose of storing goods, and in such event the panel door may remain closed, as shown in Figure 2. The lower cabinet section of the fixture may however be used for the purpose of displaying the goods, and in such case the various openings which are controlled by the door panels 29 may be left open and free, and the doors be adjusted so as to be entirely out of the way so as to leave a free and unobstructed line of vision to the shelves 28 and the bottom of the cabinet structure. lVhen it is desired to open one of the door panels 29, it is only necessary to grasp the handle or knob 33 and move the panel 29 vertically a slight distance until the lower edge of the panel clears the rabbet or groove in the base board 15. The lower end of the panel door 29 may now be swung outwardly, the reinforcing strip 34 coming into contact with the upper edges of the top strip 25 and serving as pivot for hinges upon which the door 29 may be further swung into a horizontal position. The door 29 is now pushed backwardly, the tongue 35 of the strip 34 engaging between the top strip 25 and holding the-door 29 in alignment with the opening through the front wall of the cabinet.

The door may be pushed rearwardly until the knob 33 comes into contact with the lower edge of the top strip 17 so as to prevent the door 29 from being pushed too far back in the door space.

In like manner, when it is desired to close the door panel 29, it is only necessary to draw the same forwardly and permit the door 29 to swing downwardly upon the cross strip 34 until the lower portion of the door 29 strikes the base strip 15. The door is then raised slightly and the door moves inwardly so that the lower edge of the door may seat in the rabbet or groove of the base strip. It will be noted that the lower edge portion of the door is protected by the cross strip which is secured across the inner side of the door and which engages the upper edge portion of the strip 30 which is located at the rear side of the base strip 15.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a display fixture, a cabinet provided with a front wall with openings therethrough and the front wall providing a frame around each opening, a door panel for each opening, said frame having rabbets at the inner sides of the upper and lower edges of the openings and with the rabbet in the upper edge of the opening being relatively deep to admit of the vertical movement of the door panel to free the lower edge thereof from the lower edge of the opening, reinforcing strips secured across the inner side of the door near the upper and lower edges thereof, said frame having upper horizontal braces adapted to engage the upper strip of the door for pivotally and slidably supporting the same when said door is swung outwardly through said opening at its lower end, and a supporting strip carried upon the front wall of the cabinet and at the inner side thereof for receiving the lower door strip thereagainst to support the door and protect the lower edge thereof.

2. In a display fixture, a cabinet structure provided with horizontal rails and a front wall having openings therethrough between the rails, a door panel for each opening, a cross strip secured to the inner side of the door panel near the upper edge thereof adapted to slidably engage said rails for pivotally and slidably supporting the upper portion of the door when the lower portion thereof is swung outwardly toward a horizontal position, said door strip having a tongue portion adapted to fit between said frame strips to guide the door and maintain it in register with said opening, and a handle on the lower end of the door at the outer side thereof for drawing the door outwardly and upwardly, said handle adapted to engage the outer face of said front wall when the door is slid into its rearmost position for limiting the rearward sliding movement of the door.

3. In a display fixture, a cabinet provided with an open front portion, a door closing said portion, a reinforcing strip secured across the inner side of said door near the upper edge thereof, a reinforcing strip secured across said door at the lower edge thereof, said cabinet having upper horizontal braces adapted to engage said first mentioned reinforcing strip, for pivotallyand slidably supporting the same when said door is swung outwardly thru said open front portion, and a supporting strip carried upon the front wall of the cabinet and at the inner side thereof for receiving said second mentioned strip thereagainst to support the door and protect the lower edge thereof.

R. M. HENDERSON. 

